The Teeth of the Tiger - Tom Clancy [30]
"Gotcha." The reason they were called fundamentals was because they really were fundamental. And these Marines, like ballplayers, wouldn't object to the day's lesson. One trip into the tall weeds had taught them all how important the fundamentals were.
It was a short walk to Caruso's quarters. Hardesty helped himself to some coffee and a newspaper, while the young officer showered. The coffee was pretty good for a single man's making. The paper, as usual, didn't tell him much he didn't already know, except for late sports scores, but the comics were always good for a laugh.
"Ready for breakfast?" the youngster asked, all cleaned up.
"How's the food here?" Hardesty stood.
"Well, kinda hard to screw up breakfast, isn't it?"
"True enough. Lead on, Captain." Together they drove the mile or so to the Consolidated Mess in Caruso's C-class Mercedes. The car marked him as a single man, to Hardesty's relief.
"I didn't expect to see you again for a while," Caruso said, from behind the wheel.
"Or at all?" the former Special Forces officer asked lightly.
"That, too, yes, sir."
"You passed the exam."
It was enough to turn his head. "What exam was that, sir?"
"I didn't think you'd notice," Hardesty observed with a chuckle.
"Well, sir, you have succeeded in confusing me this morning." Which, Captain Caruso was sure, was part of today's plan.
"There's an old saying: 'If you're not confused, you're misinformed.' "
"That sounds a little ominous," Captain Caruso said, turning right into the parking lot.
"It can be." He got out and followed the officer toward the building. It was a large single-story building full of hungry Marines. The cafeteria line had racks and trays of the usual American breakfast foods, Frosted Flakes to bacon and eggs. And even some "You can try the bagels, but they aren't all that good, sir," Caruso warned as he got two English muffins and real butter. He was clearly too young to worry about cholesterol and the other difficulties that came with increasing years. Hardesty got himself a box of Cheerios, because he had gotten that old, rather to his annoyance, along with low-fat milk and non-sugar sweetener. The coffee mugs were large, and the seating permitted a surprising amount of anonymity, though there had to be four hundred people in here, of various ranks from corporal to full-bull colonel. His host steered him to a table in a crowd of young sergeants.
"Okay, Mr. Hardesty, what can I do for you?"
"Number one, I know you have security clearances, up to TS, right?"
"Yes, sir. Some compartmented stuff, but that doesn't concern you at all."
"Probably," Hardesty conceded. "Okay, what we're about to discuss goes a little higher than that. You cannot repeat this to anyone at all. Are we clear on that?"
"Yes, sir. This is code-word stuff. I understand." In fact, he didn't, thought Hardesty. This was actually beyond code word, but that explanation would have to wait for another venue. "Please go on, sir."
"You've been noticed by some fairly important people as a prime recruit prospect for a rather a rather special organization that does not exist. You've heard this sort of thing before in movies or read it in books. But this is quite real, son. I am here to offer you a place in that organization."
"Sir, I am a Marine officer, and I like that."
"It will not prejudice your career in the Marines. As a matter of fact, you've been deep-dipped for promotion to major. You'll be getting that letter next week. So, you'll have to leave your current billet anyway. If you stay in the Marine Corps, you'll be sent to Headquarters Marine Corps next month, to work in the intelligence/special-operations shop. You're also going to get a Silver Star for your action in Afghanistan."
"What about my people? I put them in for decorations, too." It was the mark of this kid that he'd worry about that, Hardesty thought.
"Everyone's been approved. Now, you'll be able to return to the Corps whenever you wish. Your commission and routine advancement will